Spelling

English spelling is a nightmare.

Some words, like light, might, and right, show their Germanic origins. Some words, like euphemism, photograph and psychology, show their Greek roots. Others like luminescent and primary, show their Latin background. English spelling is so strange because many languages contributed to its vocabulary.

Second, make yourself flash cards for words that don’t fit a pattern. These words are often called “sight words.”

Third, READ, READ, READ every day. It helps to see the words in context.

More than anything else, know that learning to spellwell won’t happen by magic. English-speaking children spend hours every week learning to spellthroughout elementary school. Even though you are learning English as an adult, you will still have to devote the same amount of time to learning spelling patterns.